To help you understand the Bachelor of General Studies program, we've come up with answers to questions we typically hear. Take a look through this page, and on the links to the right to get an idea of what the BGS program is and how it differs from other degree programs. If you have further questions or decide you want to register, please call the Arts Advice Centre at 604-557-4028 or toll free at 1-888-504-7441 local 4028 or email bgs@ufv.ca.

(note: If you have not received a response to your email within two working days, please call as there are instances where e-mail is filtered and deleted).

Questions

Who enrolls in the BGS program?

People whom like to take charge of their own education, those who like to explore a wide variety of subjects, or who like to d‌elve into a subject more deeply. The way the BGS program is designed students can decide what they want their focus to be.

For instance, most students take many subjects from a broad base of disciplines. These might include history, geography, fine arts, math,sciences or communications. Often students who have taken courses that spread out across the disciplines go on to careers in education, health care, social service, government, industry, libraries, private business. The Bachelor of General Studies program lends itself to many occupations where an understanding of many subjects is beneficial.

On the other hand, some students develop what we call a “Thematic Option”. These students might take courses such as Spanish, geography, social work and anthropology,and, in doing so, discover an interest in language and culture of Latin America. In other words, there is a “theme” to the kinds of courses that interest them. Whenever students see that their interests integrate studies in more than one area, then it’s possible to develop a thematic option in that area. Once approved by UFV, the student then formally can be the focus of their study theme.

Why take the UFV BGS?

The UFV BGS program is not a pre-packaged program. While there are a few courses that provide the framework for this degree program, the UFV BGS gives you opportunity to explore, allowing you to decide what courses matter to you and your future. It is versatile, interdisciplinary, and flexible. It can be customized to suit your goals.

How do you get started?

To enter the program, you already must have 30 post-secondary credits.That means that if you are about to graduate from high school, you won’t be able to enter the program immediately. You’ll still want to keep it in mind though and plan ahead.

It also mean‌s that if since graduating from high school, you have completed courses at college, university college,technical institute or university, you may be able to apply credit for those courses to this program. If you have a trades qualification,credit for your designation may count toward the degree requirements. This is referred to as “transfer credit”. You’ll need to obtain your transcripts from where you took the classes, and include them with your application. See Entrance Requirements for a list of everything you’ll need.

You may be able to “ladder” your previous education into the BGS program after it has been assessed by an advisor. Explore our website, and then if you have any questions email bgs@ufv.ca

When should you apply?

You will also need to look at the UFV Calendar to find out the time lines for applying.

A general guideline you might use is to be ready to apply and complete the registration process in the semester prior to the one you want to be taking classes.

What can a BGS student Major or Minor in?

Because the BGS offers the customizable Thematic Option, there is no major.However, you do have the option of including 1 or 2 minors in your program. Minors could include anthropology, applied ethical and political philosophy, French, sociology, accounting, and marketing.Check out the UFV Calendar for the entire list of options.

If you plan to continue to graduate school, you will need to check out the requirements for the program you want to attend. Plan ahead and you should be well on your way!

Where can a BGS take you?

Literally… anywhere!

Students who have graduated from the UFV BGS program are now working in aviation, education, libraries, business, public administration… and the list goes on. The BGS program is customizable; it is not a one-size-fits-all. So it really depends on where you want to go. Again– this program is for people who like to take charge of their own education and their future. We encourage you to explore your options and take charge of where you want to go in life!